NEWS HEADLINES

A Boonsville man has been charged with the April murder of his girlfriend at their home.

Kris Edward Rau

Kris Edward Rau, 51, was indicted last week by a Wise County grand jury for murder and tampering with evidence by concealing a human corpse.

The odd case began in mid-April when the Wise County Sheriff’s Office received a call from Rau, in Florida, stating that his girlfriend had killed herself at their home in the 1100 block of County Road 3838 on April 14.

“(Rau) claimed they were having issues,” Sheriff David Walker said. “He said he went into town, and when he came back, he found her deceased.”

His girlfriend, Lianne Allyson Murray, had been shot in the head.

Rau told investigators he panicked and fled back to Florida, where both he and Murray were from. It was there, in Lee County, that a family member convinced Rau to call authorities.

Local investigators went to Florida to interview Rau about his girlfriend’s death. Rau told them he had moved Murray’s body from the front yard to a barn on the property. He then hosed down the area where she was killed.

Walker said Rau was cooperative with investigators regarding the details of moving Murray’s body, and he was originally charged May 4 with tampering/fabricating physical evidence with intent to conceal a human corpse.

But, Walker said, as the evidence was examined, it appeared unlikely that the wound was self-inflicted. After more evidence was collected, Rau was charged with murder June 10. He remains in the Wise County Jail with a total bond of $1.5 million.

Walker added that the investigation is ongoing, and investigators are awaiting more evidence to be returned from the crime lab.

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